Hermetic closure for receptacles.



w. H. Homss.

HERMETJC CLOSURE FOR RECEPTACLES. Y APPLICATJON FILED DEC. 18. 1909.

1,150,766. Patented Aflg. 17, 1915.

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min/eases:

FIW.

WILLIAM H. HONISS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

HERMETIC CLOSURE FOB RECEIPTACLE S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1915.

Application filed-December 18, lacs. Serial no. 533,769.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. HONISS,

a citizen of the United States, and resident.

of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and a State of Connecticut, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Hermetic Closures forReceptacles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

This invention relates to'improvements in closures for the hermeticsealing of cans, jars, and other receptacles. It is herein shown anddescribed in an embodiment adapted for the sealing of glass jars now 5quite commonly employed for the packaging and hermetic sealing of food,and food ingredients.

Figures 1, 2'and 3 of the drawings are fragmentary side views insection, illustrat- -ing this improved closure in three of itspositions. Fig. 1 represents the closure as initially applied to the jarin its loose or unsealed condition. Fig. 2 illustrates an intermediatestep in the sealing movement of the closure toward its fully presseddown and sealed condition shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is a sectional edgeview, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the ring-shaped gasket employed inthe preceding figures.

is provided with an inclined shoulder 9, of a width suitablyproportioned to the size of receptacle and the thickness of the gasketto be employed. The neck 10 above'the 35,-shoulder is substantiallycylindrical in contour, having approximately parallel sides. Thesurface'll below the shoulder is also preferably of cylindrical contour,but this is of minor importance for the purposes of the presentinvention. The remaining portion of the jar may be of any desired form,size, or proportions.

The closure employed consists of a gasket 12 and sealing cap 13. Thegasket is seated above the inclined shoulder 9 around the cylindricalzone 10 of the receptacle. These gaskets are preferably made from ahighgrade quality of rubber or other material having properties suitablefor the purposes described herein. In present practice sealing gasketssometimes are initially made of rhombic cross-section shown in-Fig. 2,the advantages of which are now well understood in this art. Heretofore,however,

it has been considered necessary to produce these gaskets in the desiredrhombic form The jar 8, or other receptacle to be sealed,

by t he'initia l methods of manufacture, requ r ng slow hand moldingprocesses or reqmrmg .expenslve machines, if made by ma- Fhinery. But animportant feature of the lIlVQHtlOIl is that whereby the gasket mayposition in its seat in the cap or on the jar,

and also to cover a wide zone of the jar neck, for reasons hereinafterstated.

The sealing cap 13 is generally and preferably made of tin plate orother thin sheet metal. Its rimor flange is provided with an inclinedshoulder 14: for reforming and pressing the gasket downwardly andinwardly. Above the shoulder is a cylindrical portion 15which'loosely-fits the cylindrical zone 10 of the jar, leaving anannular space 16 between the cap and the neck of the jar. Below theshoulder 14 is another substantially cylindrical portion 17 of theflange which approximately conforms to the cylindrical outer surface ofthe gasket 12. Suflicient looseness' of fit should be allowed eitherbetween the gasket and the jar neck ,or between the gasket and the capto permit the air to be exhausted past the gasket from the interior ofthe jar during the exhausting operation, when the closure is in itsunsealed position shown in Fig. 1. This cylindrical portion ofthe flangeextends below the shoulder 9 of the jar, leaving a narrow annular space18 between the flange and the jar. The lower edge of the cap flange ispreferably curved slightly outward to facilitate the'entrance of anopening instrument between the cap and the jar; and also to facilitateinserting the gasket in the cap or placing the cap over the gasket asthe case may be. c

In practice position upon the jar either before or after -fillin the jarwith its contents, and the cap may e slipped over the gasket just priorto the sealing operation. Or the gaskets may be placed in the caps andboth applied together as a unit upon the jar after the latter thegaskets may be placed in is filled,- and prior to the sealing operation.The gasket may if desired be Secured in its seat in the cap by means ofcement. applied between the outer cylindrical surface of the gasket andthe adjacent interior surface of the cap. In the operation of sealingreceptacles with these closures the air is exhausted from the jar whilethe closure is resting in the position shown -in Fig. 1, with sufficientlooseness to enable the air to be drawn past the gasket. When a suitable.vacuum is obtained within the jar, the cap is pressed downwardly,either by readmitting the air passage or by mechanical devices, or' inany other way known in the art. In the initial downward movement of thecap to the position shown in Fig. 2 the cap resting upon or attached tothe outer surface of the gasket, first reforms and converts the gasketbegins, and continues until the downward pressure of the cap is balancedby the fresistance of the gasket to further compression', 'at or aboutthe positionshown in Fig. 3. The approaching shoulders 9 and 14 compressthe body of the gasketbetween them,=

thus giving the customary amount of security of seal directly betweenthose shoul ders. Additional security is obtained by the action'oftheinclined shoulders in forcing the edges 20' and 21fofthe gasketinto the contracted annular spaces 16 and'18, thus i setting upawvedging and compressingaction at those two spaces and in the entrancesthereto. This practically makes two separate 'and'independently sealingjoints, thus in effect doubling the security. Moreover, the security ofsealing is still'further mcreased by extending the sealing action over awide annular zone. Whether the pressure is distributed uniformlyover'the entire zone covered by the gasket, or whether it pincheshardest at two or more relatively narrow zones of the gasket, themere'extensionof the gasket over a wide zone of the jar surfacecontributes an important and considerable degree of security to theseal. This; .is due to the fact that in the commercial manufacture ofthese jars, and particularly when made by being pressed between dies ormolds, the neck surface of thejar is liable to be scratched or otherwlseindented byfine cracks-or crizzles, variously ascribed to the action ofparticles of. unmelted sand mthe glass, and to the escape of theconfined air suddenly raised to a high pressure by the heat of themolten glass and close confine ment between the pressing surfaces. The

extension of the gasket surface over a wide.

area of the neck of the jar correspondingly increases the probability ofsuitably cover mg and sealing such cracks or depressions, this being inaddition to the security dueto the mere pressure upon the gasket, or tothe distribution of that pressure.

An important advantage ofthis invention is the initial reforming ofthe'rectangular cross section of the gasket and its conversion intorhombic form shown in Fig. 2. This permits of the employment of gasketswhich are originally of rectangular form. A great advantage of that formof gasket is that it enables them to be cut froma cylindrical tube, orsleeve of rubberbr other gasket material, without waste, and bycuts'madev at right angles .to the longitudinal center of the tube, bycomparatively simple methods and apparatus, instead of requiring tobecutat an acute angle to that. center, which is inherently difficult onaccount of the clingmg character of the material'and the overlapping ofthe conically cut surfacgs of the rubber, requiring expensive and spcial ap-' paratus' for the successful-commercl manufacture of gaskets wch-are initially of rhombic cross-section.

Apart from the advantages of thus converting an initially rectangularcross-section into a rhombicforin, the advantages of,

.the latter form, especially in connection with the present invention,are that the acute angled edges 20 and 21 are well adapted to enter theannular spaces 16 and 18. Also, that these edges are presented directlyto and in proper entering relation to those spaces. Also that theconverging surfaces of the cap and jar, adjacent'to the acute anglededges form wedge shaped approaches to the spaces 16 and .18, 'afi'ordingeasy guiding entrance to those spaces, while compressing the body of thegasket and thus forcing the flexible material of the gasket toward andinto those entrances and spaces.

This compression of the body of the gasket under the continuedatmpspheric pressure upon the cap continues to force the flexible gasketmaterial toward tliespaces 16 and 18, not only during the sealingoperation, .but throughout the subsequent period dur ing which the jarremains sealed, which may be for months, or even years, during whichtime it is liable to be exposed to many changes in atmosphere andhumidity,

under th s influences of which the gasket, and especially itsedge, isliable-to dr and The body of the gasket'indicated by the nu shrink, orotherwise change its con 'tion.

meral 12 in Fig. 3 constitutes a reserve supply of gasket material,which, lying between the s aces 16 and 18, under contmued pressure 0 thecap constantly presses the material toward those spacw, and thus com-ipensates for any shrinkage or other deterioration of the gasket, duetothe lapse of time, or to the other influences referred rhombic formmay be realized by employing a gasket whichis initially of therhombicform, instead of being rectangular; but for the more completeutilization of all of the advantages of this invention it is consideredpreferable to employ the initially rectangular form of gasket becauseofthe advantages incident to its manufacture as compared with themanufacture of rhombic or other gaskets having acute angled edges. Thecylindrical surfaces 10 and 11 of the jar and 15 and 17 of the cap areherein described as being substantially cylindrical. It will, however,generally be found prefer- 20 able to make them slightly tapering, in

order to enable them to be more easily withdrawn from the dies or moldsby which they are made. For reasons connected with their manufacture itwill also be found advisable to make the corners more or less roundedinstead of sharp.

In various ways which will occur to those familiar with this art, thefeatures of this invention may bemodified for various purposes, or tosuit difl'erent conditions of service. 7 I claim as my invention v 1.The combination of a receptacle and a sealing cap forming between theman annular gasket receiving seat substantially rhombic incross-sectional outline, and a gasket of deformablematerial in said seathaving a substantially rectangular crosssection. i 40 2. The combinationof a receptacle and a sealing cap forming between theman annular gasketreceiving seat substantially rhombic' in cross-sectional outline, andrelatively long vertically in proportion to its horizontal width, and agasket of deformable material' in said seat having a substantiallyrectangular cross-section.

3. The combination of a. receptacle and a sealing cap forming betweenthem an annular gasket receiving seat substantially rhombic incross-sectional outline, and hav ing relatively narrow annular spacesopening from and extending respectively above and below the upper andlower acute angled portions of the rhombic outline, and a gas-' ket ofdeformable material in said receiving seat having a substantiallyrectangular cross-section.

4. A hermetic sealing closure having in to combination a relatively wideand thin gasket of flexible material and substantially rectangular incross-section, and a cap provided with a flange having an inclinedportion resting on the upper outer annular .ee corner of the gasket,whereby the cap when Obviously these advantages of the shoulder andsubstantially tions above and below said shoulder, where- 125presseddown in the sealing operation reforms the gasket to rhombic formby pressing downwardly the outer annular zone of theflgask'et. a g

5. The combination of a receptacle hav- 7 0 inga relatively narrowinclined shoulder for supporting a gasket, and a closure thereforincluding a relatively wide and thin gasket of flexible material, andsubstantially rectangular in cross-section, resting above said shoulder,and a cap substantially fitting the outer cylindrical side of the gasket and having an inclined shoulder resting upon the outer upper edge ofthe gasket, whereby the cap when pressed down reforms the gasket intosubstantially rhombic form. 3

6. The combination of a jar provided with 'a relativelynarrow inclinedor conical shoulder, and with a substantially cylindrical surface abovethe shoulder, a relatively wide and thin gasket of flexible material andsubstantially rectangular in'cross-section seated around saidcylindrical surface above said shoulder, and a sealing cap having adownwardly and outwardly flaring shoulder resting upon the gasket,whereby the cap when moved down to seal the jar first reforms therectangular section of the gasket intova rhombic form and thencompresses the reformed gasket between the said shoulders of the jar andcap.

,7. The. combination of a jar provided 4 with a conical shoulder andwith a substantially cylindrical surface above the shoulder, arelatively wide and thin gasket of flexible material, and substantiallyrectangular in cross-section seated around said cylindrical surfaceabove said shoulder, and a sealing cap having a downwardly flaringshoulder resting upon the gasket, and a substantially cylindricalportion below said shoulder substantially fitting the outer cylindricalsurface of the gasket, whereby the cap whenmoved downwardly to seal thejar first reforms the rectangular section of the gasket into rhombicform and then compresses the re-formed gasket vertically between thesaid shoulders of the jar and cap'while confining the gasket laterallybetween the said cylindrical surfaces of the jar and cap.

8. The combination of a jar provided with a conical shoulder and with asubstantially cylindrical surface above the shoulder,

a relatively wide and thin gasket of flexible material and substantiallyrectangular in cross-section, seated on said shoulder, and a sealing caphaving an inclined internal cylindrical porby the cap when moveddownward to seal the jar first reforms the rectangular section of thegasket into a rhombic form and then compresses it vertically between thesaid shoulders of the cap and jar. 180

' ceptacle, leaving a relatively-narrow annular space between them,whereby the cap when pressed down to seal the receptaclefirst reformsthe vgasket into substantially rhombic form, and by subsequent verticalcompression of the gasket body forces its thin edges into the saidannular space between the cap and receptacle. I

10. The combination of a receptacle hav ing a relatively narrow inclinedshoulder for supporting a gasket, with a substantially cylindricalsurface above the shoulder, and a closure therefor including arelatively wide .and thin gasket of flexible material, and substantiallyrectangular in cross-section resting above said shoulder, and a caphaving an inclined shoulder resting upon the upper and outer edge of thegasket and loosely fitting the receptacle, above and below its saidinclined shoulder to provide relatively narrow annular spaces contiguousto the upper and lower edges of the gasket, whereby the cap when presseddown to seal the receptacle first reforms the gasket into substantiallyrhombic form and then by vertical compression of the main body gasketforces the upper and lower thin edges of the said rhombic form into thesaid annularspaces.

11. The combination of a receptacle having a relatively narrow inclinedshoulder for supporting a gasket, and having substantially cylindricalsurfaces above and below the said shoulder, and a closure thereforincluding a relatively wide and thin gasket of flexible material, andsubstantially rectangular in cross-section resting above said shoulder,and a cap having an inclined shoulder resting upon theouter edge of thegasket, and provided with substantially cylindrical portions looselyfitting the said cylindrical surfaces of the receptacle, leaving narrowannular spaces between the ca and receptacle above and below theirsaidoulders, whereby the ca to seal the receptacle st reforms the gasketinto substantially rhombic form, and by subsequent vertical compressionof the-gasket when pressed down body forces its upper and lower thine esof the rhombic form into the said am r spaces.

12. The combination, with a ar gasket of deformable material, of a jarhav- I upon the diagonally opposite edge of the gasket when the vlatteris in its free, e.

uncomprewed condition, whereby the cap when pressed down in the sealingoperation first deforms the gasket to a substantially rhombiccross-section before finally comp it to itssealing condition.

13. e combination, in a vacuum sealed package of a receptacle and asealing cap having them an annular gasket receiving seat substantiallyrhombic in crosssectional outline, and relatively long vertically inproportion to its horizontal width, and a gasket of deformable materialin said receiving seat, all arranged'and operating to reform the saidgasket into substantially rhombic form by the sealing operation.

'14. The combination, in a vacuum sealed package, of'a receptacle and asealing cap having between them-an annular gasket receiving spacesubstantially rhombic in cross sectional outline, and having relativelynarrow annular spaces opening from and extending respectively, above andbelow the upper and lower acute angled corners of the rhombic outline,and a gasketof'flexible material in said receiving space, all arrangedand operating to confine and maintain the body of the gasket insubstantially rhombic form, and to maintain the pressure of thematerial'fromthe said body portion toward the said annular-spaces.

15, The method of forming a hermetic joint between a far or similararticle and its so a cover, which consists in placing a gasket offlexible material, and rectangular cross-section between the jar and thecover with the' diagonally opposite corners of the gasket in engagementwith the jar and cover, respectively, and forcing the cover to itssealed position, whereby the cross-section of the gasket is reformedfrom a rectangular to a substantially rhombic form, by the initialportion of the sealing operation.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. 7

' WILLIAM HQHON'ISS;

Witnesses: t

- Josnrrr Canonnm M. Bnacxna.

